Western Pride men still waiting to take the field in 2021 season

Wet weather halts Ipswich team’s promising progress. Hopefully an important home game can be played.

The Western Pride NPL women's side face a waiting game to see if they can chase more points at the Briggs Road Sporting Complex this weekend. Picture: David Lems

AT least the Western Pride women secured their first point for the new football season.

The frustrations continue for the Ipswich club's top men's side.

Sunday's Football Queensland Premier League 1 match against the Sunshine Coast was called off over the weekend due to the wet weather.

Thankfully the Pride players didn't get to Kawana before the decision was made.

However, with a first-round bye, the Pride men are yet to open their 2021 season.

With all the wet weather around, the fear is the Western Pride men may not get a chance to play their first home game against Southside Eagles on Saturday night.

For head coach Brian Hastings, it's a case of trying to get some training in this week waiting for the weather to improve.

"It's almost we are losing fitness now so it's a problem we are not even playing . . . try and maintain a fitness level,'' he said.

After some positive Pride pre-season trials, Hastings and his players were ready to unleash their new style of football on the Sunshine Coast before the skies opened up late last week.

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The Sunday match is expected to be rescheduled later in the season not being able to be replayed on Tuesday night as initially hoped for.

Hastings said the team would try to go indoors this week.

"We'll probably just do a bit of fitness work, conditioning work,'' he said.

"That's all you can do. We're just going to play it by ear.''

On Saturday night, the Western Pride women secured their first point of the 2021 Women's National Premier League season with a 3-3 draw against QAS.

Savannah Tuson, Gladys Esquivel and Kate Webb were Pride's goal scorers in the away match that followed the Ipswich side's opening round 6-3 loss to Moreton Bay United.

Western Pride footballer Gladys Esquivel Villanueva ws among the weekend goal scorers.

April Gleeson was named player of the match.

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Both Pride teams are scheduled to return to their Briggs Road Sporting Complex headquarters on Saturday.

Weather permitting, the Pride women play Souths United at 5.15pm before the Pride men host Southside Eagles at 7.30pm.

Originally published as Western Pride men still waiting to take the field in 2021 season